


Of bets, blind dates and BattleoftheBrians

by Claire_cz



Category: Figure Skating RPF
Genre: Bets, Blind Date, Developing Relationship, First Dates, Fun, M/M, Not Beta Read, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-10
Updated: 2021-02-10
Packaged: 2021-03-16 20:54:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29338641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Claire_cz/pseuds/Claire_cz
Summary: Javi loses a bet and has to go on a blind date. Tracy and Ghislain are trying to find a partner for Brian and convince him to go on a blind date. How will the dates go?
Relationships: Javier Fernández/Brian Orser
Comments: 6
Kudos: 14
Collections: Valentine's Day Contest





	Of bets, blind dates and BattleoftheBrians

**Author's Note:**

> Fic for Valentine's Day Contest, prompt I chose: A blind date with a surprising outcome.
> 
> Takes place in July 2021 (in a normal world)

Tracy resolutely knocked on the door of Brian's office and immediately went in. Ghislain followed her. They came directly to Brian's desk and only then Tracy began speaking.

"Brian look at yourself."

"Ehm, guys? I should look at myself? Is there something wrong with my shirt or?" Brian asked confused.

"You’ve been hiding here, in the office, since forever. Always grumpy, annoyed, Javi’s been here just for a few weeks and he also noticed... We are just concerned," Tracy explained.

"It's been over a year, Brian," Ghislain chimed in.

"You are allowed to be happy. You deserve to be happy. To be loved. It's okay to find someone else," Tracy tried to reason.

"So just to be clear, what's this intervention about?" Brian raised an eyebrow.

"You should go on a date," Tracy announced.

"And we.. ehm… took the liberty to take the first step for you," Ghislain said.

"You what?"

"There's this dating app-"

But Brian interrupted him. "Ghislain Briand if you had put me on Tinder or how the kids call it now, I swear I take away your harness and no quad axel training with Yuzu!"

Tracy smiled smugly. "Expected behaviour. But calm down. There's this dating app that is perfect for you. No photos, no sweeping left and right. Nothing much happens online. You just write some information about you, what are you looking for and _then_ the old fashioned in person blind dates!"

"Here's your profile," Ghislain said and handed his phone to Brian. "In case you want to change your profile or just log in and out, the password is Battleofthebrians."

"I will lose all my hair with you two, I'm sure. And I thought I was working with grown-up people," Brian rolled his eyes, but there was a small smile on his face and he was thoroughly studying his profile in the app.

"Middle aged gentleman, with keen interest in winter sports, likes to travel, appreciates good music, friendship, good food and Indian cuisine. Motto: the best solutions always come when you work as a team. Looking for a partner who won't be discouraged by a bit busy life and will passionately share the moments of togetherness," Brian read.

"And you think someone I quote _'won't be discouraged by a bit busy life'_ and will actually answer?"

But Tracy and Ghislain were already gone.

"High five, Ghislain. Good thing is he's not against the idea."

* * *

"Hahaha, you lost, Javi," Javi's friends, Marc and Charlie laughed in the gym.

"You are so tall," Javi whined.

"And you didn't know this before? We kind of _are_ basketball players," Marc, one of the friends said.

"It's not our fault, you insisted that even though you are the shortest one, you as a figure skater can jump the highest and therefore would score the most points," Charlie laughed.

"So, it's totally not our fault that you lost the bet."

"Yes, you will pay, Javi, you will."

"So... you were serious?" Javi tried to negotiate.

"We are always dead-serious," Charlie laughed out loud.

"Don't worry, it will be so much fun!"

"We'll create you an account on a dating app..." Charlie described.

"Pick the new one, without photos, so that he's not flooded with a ton of fans," Marc advised.

"Look at us. How _nice_ we are. We will spare you hundreds of love letters and marriage proposals form your fans. One almost anonymous profile and then you'll go on one date. Just one blind date. Just for fun and we are even."

"I guess I'll have to train jumps a bit more, lately I've been neglecting them. I'm a coach now, so..." Javi laughed.

"So, what we'll write about you? Forty years old..."

"Hey, I'm thirty!"

"And aren't you always complaining that you already have some grey hair? Get used to it. And also imagine how will your date compliment you that you don't look your age! Or maybe not."

"You are evil."

"We are evil geniuses. So… interested in sports, soccer, cooking, likes spending time with friends..."

"…like us…" Charlies said with a devilish laugh.

"Exactly," Marc exclaimed and continued typing. "Travels a lot. And is always ready to explore everything new."

"Put there that he likes classical music," Charlie advices Marc mischievously.

"Classical music?"

"He did skate to Barber of Seville, didn't he? I would totally count these four and a half minutes from years ago hahahaha."

"You are so lucky that I'm a coach now and my patience is endless," Javi winked. "You know what I'm even curious myself if someone will be interested or not. I've been single for two months, since I came to Canada and I don't like it."

But after a while Javi turned thoughtful. "Yeah, I mean a fun blind date with someone I'll never see again, why not. But guys... I've been thinking, it's really time to settle down. Find someone who'll understand me. I want to love someone for forever. It didn't work out in Spain, maybe it will in Canada. We'll see..."

* * *

"So... how is it going?" Marc asked Javi a few days later when he saw him playing with his phone. "You know what I mean?" he winked.

"There's one person, a middle-aged gentleman, interested in a meeting in person. Dinner in this new restaurant, not too far from Cricket club actually," Javi reported.

"Good job. You'll fulfil the bet in less than a week and will be free to search for the true love."

"Aww, Javi, me about this middle-aged gentleman," Charlie teased.

"I don't know anything. Likes travelling, is busy, will have a blue handkerchief in his suit pocket. I guess it will be a boring bank employee or something like that," Javi laughed.

"Ohoho, blue handkerchief, so what will be your sign, Romeo?"

"When one of the pair has a sign, the other one doesn't need it, Einstein. But I generously offered that I'll be wearing a chequered shirt to avoid any misunderstandings," Javi explained, trying not to laugh.

* * *

"I don't want to push you, Brian, just out of curiosity, have you gone through some profiles on the app or maybe even replied to some?" Tracy asked Brian after a training session finished.

"I did," Brian smiled smugly. "I certainly appreciate that I didn't have to upload any photo of mine but the lack of photos on the profiles of others is ... raising my interest I might say. So, I asked someone on - in your words - 'old-fashioned blind date in person.' Of course, I still don't believe it much but as I repeat to our skaters: change is good, change moves you forward. So maybe I can follow my own advice..."

"Of course, it's a step forward! I'm so proud of you," Tracy smiled at him.

"By the way, how will you recognize the person?"

Again, Brian smiled confidently. "When Ghislain wrote that I'm a gentleman I will have a suit, of course, and a blue pocket square."

"Hmm, man of style," Tracy winked.

* * *

Brian left early that day, saying that he has some errands to run and a few meetings. Javi volunteered to coach a session instead of him. Now Javi kept checking his phone because the session should have ended 20 minutes ago. Jun wasn't happy with his jumps though, so Javi stayed with him overtime trying to calm him down. The blind date was about to start in forty minutes. Javi thought that he'd manage to go home, change his clothes, put on the chequered shirt... but the time was running short. Finally, they finished the training.

" _Well, no chequered shirt, I guess. There's exactly enough time to just make it to the restaurant. My charm will have to be enough_ ," Javi though.

" _Yeah, it's just a bet. So, it's enough that I show up_ ," Javi decided and quickened his pace.

* * *

Brian checked everything for the fifth time. " _Wallet, phone on mute, money in the wallet, credit card, car keys, no stains on the shirt, suit is not rumpled, good to go_."

Oh, he noticed again, the pocket square was not holding in place. "Always keeps slipping into the pocket. Well, that's silk. Will do something about it in the restaurant. Now I really have to go," Brian kept mumbling to himself and pulled the handkerchief a bit upwards.

Brian calmly entered the restaurant; he was there 15 minutes before the agreed time. He sat down to a free table and began leafing through the menu. He noticed that his pocket square slid down again and wasn't visible.

" _Maybe it's a good thing, this is a nice and cosy restaurant but not that luxurious for a handkerchief. I'll just pull it up a few minutes before five_ ," Brian decided and returned his attention to the menu.

Therefore, he didn't notice Javi sprinting into the restaurant five minutes before five.

Exactly at five Brian started inconspicuously looking around. Two minutes after five he was a bit annoyed already. Five minutes after five Brian grumbled. " _Punctuality wouldn't be this man's forte. Well, I'll order my dinner. I've waited long enough_."

Brian raised his head and started looking for a waiter so he could signal that he was ready to order.

Meanwhile Javi caught his breath and casually walked to the bar. He sat down on a stool there, turned slightly sideways to see the incoming guests and ordered a glass of wine.

Brian wanted to call the waiter but before that he took one last look around the room to give a chance to his mysterious date, the thought that maybe the man had been waiting here all along crossed Brian's mind, but no one looked like a probable candidate.

In the moment Brian wanted to address the waiter he noticed a familiar figure at the bar.

"I'll just wait a moment longer," he said to the waiter and went to the bar.

Javi was looking into his phone and grinning. " _Marc! Charlie! Now I understand. It was *you* from the beginning! You set up a profile of that man and I was supposed to wait here forever, right. If you are hiding somewhere here, I swear_ ," he was typing a message into the group chat.

"Javi! What are you doing here?"

"Oh.... Brian... Hi!" Javi smiled trying to think about what to say. Because telling the truth about a lost bet and a dating app and blind date and his stupid friends was a thing Javi wanted to avoid. " _Now, I'm a coach, I should act seriously, like more seriously than when I was a skater, right?_ " Javi debated with himself in his mind.

And said distractedly: "Oh, I'm ... Wine! Spanish wine. They have here. So ... just was curious you know, if it's a real Spanish wine."

"Ah, and is it?"

"Yeah, it's quite good."

"Do you mind if I order too?" Brian asked and sat down on a bar stool next to Javi.

"Of course not," Javi smiled. "And what are you doing here? I thought you had some errands to do."

"...and some meetings. And this meeting was probably cancelled without me knowing. But never mind. I met you here instead. So, we can finally talk, only the two of us. It's been two months since you came and we've been so busy..."

"Yeah, your Junes and Julys are always busy, getting the skaters back to shape or at least back to Canada," Javi winked.

"Ahh, good old times, good old times, Javi. Me and Tracy trying to come up with ideas how to get you to TCC at least in July," Brian laughed heartily and put his hand on Javi's shoulder.

And again, he noticed that Javi wasn't his student anymore, he was a man, a handsome man sitting next to him, looking at him with an easy smile.

"So how are you Javi?" he asked.

"I'm great. Even the sun is shining here so nothing to complain about," Javi smiled.

"And work at the TCC? Don't you regret that I offered you the job or that I offer too much unwanted advice?" Brian asked, a bit uncertain.

"Brian," Javi said and put his hand on Brian's shoulder, "I am grateful for all advice you give me. One time I'll have my own school in Spain and I'm sure I'll use everything you tell me. And being back at TCC? How could I regret it? Helping you with all the students, learning how to coach. It's the best thing. Well maybe without all the snow and freezing weather in the winter."

Brian laughed.

"I'm so hungry. What if we order some food and sit down at the tables there?" Javi suggested.

"Great idea."

"And how are _you_ , Brian? You take care of everyone else, as always. But who has asked you the last time how you were, hmm?" Javi asked after they sat down at the table.

Brian sighed. "You know, everything is fine. Work is great. And you know that I love my work. Everything is just a bit lonely... It's just these small things... No breakfast to bed as a surprise, no good-natured fighting over the remote control for TV, planning trips together for your vacations..."

"…yeah... having someone who cares for you when you are sick, even just talking to someone who understands you and actually replies back not like Effie," Javi continued in a low voice.

Brian was automatically nodding to everything Javi was saying and suddenly he noticed, their hands on the table intertwined.

Brian suppressed his panic and urge to pull his hand back and tried to remember how it happened, if he was so careless and absentmindedly put his hand on Javi's and intertwined their fingers... Or was it Javi?

Brian opened his eyes wide. It was Javi! Javi’s hand was on the top!

Brian closed his eyes and slowly opened them again. Javi was looking at him all the time, smiling.

"I didn't come only to learn how to teach, Brian," he whispered.

"Javi, you are..."

"Please don't say crazy, or too young or," Javi said calmly.

"I just wanted to say _you are so Javi_."

"We can agree on that," Javi winked.

* * *

"Please, Ghislain, could you delete my accoun from the dating app? I forgot my password!" Brian approached Ghislain the next day.

"How can you forget BattleoftheBrians?"

"It’s been thirty years! Whatever. I won't need it. Anyway, thank you guys for the nudge. But you know what? _Spontaneous_ dates are always better than blind or arranged ones!”

**Author's Note:**

> Apologies for breaking Brian's marriage but it's for the greater good ;)


End file.
